Engine starter



March 25, i924;

C, W @QU/VL W. L. MCGRTH ENGINE STARTER Filed March 20, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 25; i924:

- W. L.. MGGRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed March 20. 1919 2 Sheetsheet .if

atented Mer. 25. 3924.

entran stata .intatti mie-inn saneren.

.tlpplicatixm'filed March 20, Serial Ro. 5mi-1,778. i.

Toall wiz-om t 'may concern:

Be it known vthat I, WnmAM L Mo GRATH, a lcitizen of the United States, re-

mounted on this sha-ft is a driving'ff'ftiiheel siding at Elmira, in the' y'county ot Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and Auseful `improvements' in Engine Starters' of which the following 1s a specification.

My .invention relates to the drive ortrans mission portion of an engine sta-rter, and the object thereof is to provide a simple, eilicient land reliable -construction ot drive more particularly adapted for handv operation as distinguished from power-operation through a starting motor, although such construction is capable of operation vhy either hand or power. The various features of advantage and utility in the construction "and operation of my form 'of drive will be apparent from -the description hereinafter glven.

In the draw-ings, lffigr.l 1 is'an elevation partly in section ofa drive embodying my' invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 sections on the correspondingly indicated section lines ot Fi 1. Y I f Y eferring to' the paiticular embodiment of my invention herein illustrated, the

drive comprises a rotatableshatt lhavingplain portions and also a screvyflthreaded portion 1a and the same is mounted inter-- mediate its length' lina suitable hearing 2 on a bracket 3. This bearing' serves as' the only bea-ring for the drive and takes all loads, both torque and pressure. Legseiy' which is here in .the form of a' sprocket wheel e which has a laterally extended 'hub 5. Tof'the outer vend of Vthe shaft 1 there is secured a driving head 6 hy meansv of the Ipin or bolt 7.

The hub and head 5A are operatively' connected by a yielding driving connection which is here inthe form of a coiled spring 8 whose ends are anchored to the bolts and 9 respectively. )Between this huh 5 and head 6 thereis a sleetve l() mounted on the shaft 1 and separate from such hub. This sleeve and the 'head 6 have complementary lugs and recesses and the construction and arrangement are such that a limitedendwise mov-ement of the shaft l and head 6 with relation to the hub 5 and sleeve 10 will be permitted in the event that the pinion teeth'and flywheel teeth should abut end to end as hereinafter described.

v @operated spiral type withl the basel-coil seated in '.a

Upon the screw threaded portion ofthe shaft there is mounted Aa large pinion or gear 11, capable of a longitudinal movement on the shaft and rotary movement therewith. This gear is' provided on its inner side and towards its center with one or more clutch jaws 12 adapted to engage and cooperate with corresponding clutch. jaws 13 formed on the shaft 1 at a pointad3acent lthe hearing 2. When the shaft 1 is rotated the gear 1l Will be automatically advanced longitudinally toward the ri ght and into en gagement with the teeth lei-a of the rotatable and returned to normal position shown fin' the drawings. at Awhich ltime'the shoulder portion 15a of the 11111715' of the gear will he in contact Iwith a pin 145 in the shaft, such pinactingas aostop 'lorthe backward movement ofthe gear. l

lui order to prevent any creeping of the Agear towards engaging positio.n,' a spring 17 is interposedlhetiveen the bearing l2 andj` the gear. 'lliisspring is a vveity Vlight one," sufficient lto prevent such creeping hnt'insuicient to prevent the desired' longitudinal movement ofthegear Whentlie drive is This spring .is of the conical retainer or groove 18 in the v'gear and with its 'inner end 17l anchored-in one side of the hearing 2. The larger end 4oit' this spring bears trictionally against its gwr and therefore assists in the meshing operation be? cause it thereby revente rotation of the gearat the time W en it should Amove longii tudinally ofthe shaft. In the event that the teeth of the gear and the flywheel should ahnt end to end asl a result of the 'longitudinal movement of suc-h gear and 4while the shaft 1 is rotating, such shaft will yield or slide through the bearing 2 towards the left against the tension of the spring-8, and at the same `time the gear 11 will he momentarily stopped and caused to rotate slightly so as to bring said teeth into. proper 'register tor meshing.

claim:

1'.- ln a device of the class described, the

combination of a rotatable short e single bearing, which taires tor ne and` one end portion of said shaft, a driving member mounted on the other end portion *Eril of the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon and rotary movement therewith and adapted to cooperate with a part of the engine to be started, said shaft and. driving member having engaging means at a point adjacent the other end of'euch a bearing end coacting at the end oi. the inward longitndi nal movement of the driving meniher towards said bearing.

2. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft having a single bearing' which taires all torque and pressure loads, a gear mounted on said shaft at a point adjacent one end ci said. hearing end arrangedto apply rotative power to one end portion of said shaft, a driving member mounted on the other end portion of the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, and rotary movement therewith, and adapted to cooperate with a part of the engine to be started, said drivingy member having a roove element on one side and the shaft having at a point adjacent said hear' ing a groove member adapted to oe engaged by the iirst named groove member at the end of the longitudinal movement of: the

driving member inwardly towards said hearing.

3. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatable member having a snbstantially central hearing, means tor applying rotative power to one end portion of such member, end geer mounted on the other end portion of the member for longitudinal movement thereo and rotary movement therewith, and e conical spiral spring, secured at its smeller end to the bearing and maenner irictionally hearing at its other or larger' end against the gear. A

Li. ln a device of the 'class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft having a substantially central bearing, a driving n'heei mounted on one end portion of the shaft at a point, adjacent one end oi said bearing, a yielding driving connection ieetvveen such shaft and Wheel, and a gear mounted on the other end portion of the shaft for longitudinal movement inwardly thereof towards the other end of said hearing and for rotary movement therewith, said shaft and gear having cooperating clutch means. y

5. ln a device of the clase described, the combination of a rotatable shaft hailing a substantially central bearing, a driving Wheel mounted on one end portion or" the shaft at a point adjacent one end of said bearing, e. yielding driving connection hetween such shaft and Wheel, comprising' a coiled spring anchored respectively to the driving Wheel and Sheila and a gear mounted on the other end portion of the shaft for longitudinal movement inwardly thereof towards the other end of said bearing and for rotary movement therewith, said. shaft' and gear having cooperating clutch means.

6. n a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatable shaft having a substantially central bearing, a driving Wheel mounted on one end portion of the shaft at a point adjacent one end of said bearing and adjacent the bearing and having a hub, a spring driving connection ice-j tween such huh and shaft, and a gearmounted on the other end portion oi the shaft for longitudinal movement inwardly thereof towards the other end of said hearing and for rotary movement therewith, said shaft and gear having cooperating drivingm'eane.

vvnlilran il. ivreeeirrn. 

